Astrophotography Workshop - 8th September 2018

MPAS hold an Astrophotography workshop each year in September. We will be canvassing and introducing concepts which will assist both the amateur and the professional photographer.
The day will have array of lectures given by experienced and acknowledged astro-photographers.  Practical hands on session will be also held during the evening at our observatory.
We will be providing tea, coffee and biscuits during the day. A BBQ and refreshments will be supplied to gear you up for the night ahead.

Topics include;
Introduction to Wide field Astrophotography
Time Lapse Photography
Aurora Photography
Deep Sky Imaging
Image Processing

Lecture notes will be emailed to all attendees after the day.
Weather permitting attendees will be able to use some of the society premium equipment for some deep sky imaging!

Sample Slide Content

Tools for Planning • Basic Knowlede of the Night Sky –how to find south eg from Crux • Have a compass and know how to use it (iPhones etc have one, but can be unreliable –know the difference between true and magnetic south). • Knowldege of the Moon Phase –Rise & set times etc. • Planetarium Programs and Apps are available to help you with all of these things…
Focusing with Live View • Set the camera to Manual Focus • Set the focusing ring to the infinity mark • Centre the camera on a bright star • Turn on "Live View" mode • Magnify the Live View mode as far as it goes (100%) • Turn the focusing ring back and forth until the smallest possible star image is achieved. It may help to pay attention to dimmer stars around.
Time-Lapse Camera Settings
Deep Sky Focus Focus can shift due to • Atmosphere Conditions • Temperature Changes • Lens Creep The Bahtinov Mask This little device can save a lot of frustration! PC Software can even guide this process.
Guides to Image Processing Hasta La Vista, Green [HLVG] is a chromatic noise reduction tool that attempts to remove green noise and the green casts. Naturally, green in not a common colour in the night sky. Noel Carboni Photoshop Actions – Eg. Colour Gradient Removal Optical misalignment, stray light entering the imager, the moon, and light pollution can all contribute to a colour gradient in your image

Group shot of the 2016 Attendees.

Presenters for 2016 were Jamie Pole, Greg Walton, Alex Cherney, David Rolfe Steven Mohr.
After Dinner Presentation.

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Frequently Asked Questions...

Can I pay on the Day?

No. As each year there is a waiting list that would not be fair to others. We also need to know the count ahead of time for catering purposes.

Do I bring my Camera?

Yes, definantly. You will be using your camera & tripod after dinner.

What if it's cancelled?

We never cancel a PVN. Sounds strange, but it's easier for us to attend and at least do the presentation than try and decide if we should cancel, then attempt to contact everyone. If it's pouring rain you can still come along for the workshop, athough we substitute the practical session for a Q&A.

See you there!